Msgr. Sciacca: After Two Years

(Vatican) Since 2011 Pope Benedict XVI. had appointed the judge of the Roman Rota , Bishop Giuseppe Sciacca, to Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City. Yesterday, Pope Francis appointed him Assistant Secretary of the Apostolic Signatura. Archbishop Sciacca is number three of the Supreme Court of the Catholic Church, behind the Prefect Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, and the Secretary, Archbishop Frans Danneels of Belgium.

Msgr Sciacca is as traditional friendly as Cardinal Burke. In the first International pilgrimage tradition to Rome in 2012, he celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Immemorial Roman Rite [They say here Extraordinary, which I can’t bear to continue writing]. On the 29th of June, just two weeks before the adoption of the Decree of the Congregation of Religious against the tradition-bound Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception, Curial Archbishop Sciacca consecrated three brothers of the Order to the priesthood.

Msgr Sciacca was catapulted into the seat of the Governorate after the vociferous dismissal of Curial Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who was sent as Apostolic Nuncio to the United States [You’d think it was Siberia], and occupied the place in the administration of the Vatican City State. Thus, the lawyer returns to his real specialty. In 1999, Pope John Paul II had appointed him as Auditor to the Roman Rota.

The departure of Archbishop Viganò Curia was a result of litigious careerism in the Vatican and a tug of war between the Old Guard of the State Secretariat for Cardinal Sodano and the Young Guard of Pope Benedict XVI. employed by Cardinal Bertone. Viganò is often accused of the so-called Vatileaks scandal who brought documents stolen from the desk of Benedict XVI. and then published them. However, Viganò and the document thievery of the unfaithful valet, Paolo Gabriele, seem to have no connection.

Viganò, the President of the Governorate had hoped for the purple dignity, and looked after becoming aware of other personnel plans of Benedict XVI. brought opportunities and responded with allegations of corruption against other members Curia, which were leaked to the media. Therefore Viganò was initially honorably deported to the USA in 2011 and replaced by Msgr Sciacca. A month later, Benedict XVI appointed the new President of the Governorate. In place of Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello had joined, who was Apostolic Nuncio to Italy by then. Bertello was elevated to Cardinal in February 2012, and thus was the dignity for which Viganò had hoped.

As Viganò had pronounced the accusation after his career setback,  that the erection of the traditional nativity scene in St. Peter's Square had swallowed half a million euros, because it enriched someone, his successor, Sciacca was proud to report that the erection of the crib cost nothing under his administration in the Vatican. Sciacca could ascend in a few years to the Secretary of the Apostolic Signatura.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: ACI
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMGD